How did your PMR begin?

Today is the 5th anniversary of my PMR journey. I recall there was an ice storm in Michigan 4/14/18 (yes, that happens in Michigan mid-April sometimes!) I went for a slippery walk outside, admiring the icicles and frozen branches. Next day I noticed some soreness which I attributed to the weather, exertion, etc. At that time I was an active, fit but somewhat overweight 56 year old nurse-midwife, accustomed to working long hours. Each day over the next week or so the burning pain/stiffness in my hips, back of thighs, buttocks, and shoulders got worse, to the point where I could barely get out of bed to dress myself. I felt as though I'd aged 30 years in 2 weeks! I had no idea what was happening, nor did my primary healthcare provider. I got labs drawn which resulted in a fairly prompt referral to Rheumatology. Based on symptoms/presentation and elevated CRP, I was diagnosed with PMR and started prednisone 12.5 mg, which started helping within 1 day. I'm not sure what was the trigger; I'd had a viral respiratory illness that winter (long before COVID). Genetics is definitely a factor: my maternal grandmother had PMR and Giant Cell arteritis in her 70's and my mother has PMR in her 80's. I have tried to taper down on prednisone but have had several flares or relapses over the years, and have never gotten below 2.5 mg prednisone daily. I tried Plaquenil in addition to the prednisone, but it did not seem to help much and I had side effects such as dizziness. I struggle with Prednisone side effects, some weight gain, elevated blood sugar, sleep issues, fatigue/brain fog, vertigo and others. I cut back my hours at work, hoping the disease would "run its course" as it usually does. Unfortunately that hasn't happened (yet) so I eventually had to stop working. I have tried stress reduction and diet modification (although I already had a fairly healthy Mediterranean-type diet). I exercise in a warm water therapy pool/swimming laps, which is very helpful. Some days are worse that others. I have some "good time" in the afternoons but mornings are still very challenging. My Rheumatologist may start me on Methotrexate (but I have been reluctant due to potential side effects and my mother's bad reaction to that medication). I have never had COVID and was fully vaccinated/boosted. As a health care provider, I was extremely cautious with masking and other precautions. My PMR flares or relapses may be related to stress or overdoing activities. Often there is no discernible cause. While I consider myself lucky to have a treatable condition, PMR has definitely changed my life in difficult ways.

Yes! I am in my 80s and live alone. After spending 6 weeks/7 days a week prepping my basement to take in an afghan refugee family back in 2021, they arrived in December. That’s when the real work began! There were 6 traumatized people, different ages, all with numerous problems, no common language for us, no local support. I was drowning and then the pain began..,

Mine started within a week of flu vaccine.

My dr. Didn’t try that step before diagnosing me and my glucose levels didn’t go up. I was started on 15 mg of prednisone 2 yrs ago and am now on 1.5 mg. Tapering slowly and fortunately have not had a flare big enough to need to increase my dose during that time.

Pleased your quality of life has so improved.

I was very reluctant to go on Prednisone a second time, now 12months tapering...but I now have most of my quality of life back.

Very sound advice you offer:

"Lesson: always see another doctor asap if you're not getting better."

My PMR is almost six years old. I have tapered off prednisone three times only to have flare ups that required me to go back on the medication. I have been on four different medications (methotrexate, actamera, Xeljanz, and now cosentyx.) They all ceased to work after a certain period of time. Six years ago, I caught my foot while entering my home and ended doing a face plant on my brick steps that resulted in a lot of dental work, a concussion, and whip lash. Four months later, I had PMR. I have no proof that the concussion was the underlying issue, but it sure seems like it was.

Looking back, my first bout of PMR started after both a stressful experience and physical exertion. The stress related to my closest friend dying of breast cancer. I was helping her both through treatments and hospice. About a month or 2 later, I did a 5-mile run/walk much faster than usual and symptoms appeared the next getting worse and worse until I could hardly move. This was when I was 57. I had a 12-year remission after 2 years of prednisone. I am now 76 and on my 3rd bout. The last started about 2 weeks after a cortisone shot in my knee (thoughI think it was underlying when I had it). I am now 3 years into this bout, decreasing prednisone from 2 to 1 1/2 mg.

When did my PMR begin? Perhaps a bigger question is when did PMR become so wide spread? Are more people being diagnosed today? Are more people being diagnosed after the 'mRNA Covid booster' than before the Covid era? When did the 'Mayo Connect' blog start their never ending dedicated PMR postings? Is PMR a newer diagnosis of a type of arthritis. It seems there are a lot of people were scratching their heads when they were diagnosed with PMR. "I have what?". That was my reaction.

Bit of a story. My husband broke his leg when our garden was right in the middle of growing. We grow all our own vegetables as I don't trust what is in the stores. I took over managing the garden on top of the house, shopping, laundry, cooking and getting my man back and forth to doctors appointment. Then come harvest picking, preserving, drying and bottling what we had grown. While I was doing that, as a reward for working hard, I was eating a diet almost exclusively made up from the foods you shouldn't eat.

I believe I have had episodes of PMR for decades but neither my doctors or myself realized it. It wasn't until the flareup in 2019 that I found out what was wrong with me.

After donating blood, I fell, blunt force trauma face first to forehead/head onto concrete. This caused my diagnosis of LCA. Had surgery to remove arteries on both sides of temples.
Anyone have a similar situation (s) where blunt trauma to head caused onset of LCA?